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Wednesday, May 23, 2018

It is gratifying that YB Gobind Singh Deo, the new Minister of Communications and Multimedia, has immediately laid down his plans for the future, which incudes faster Internet at half the price. That is precisely the direction most countries are moving in this age when the Internet is the backbone of banking and commerce.

We must not always politicise government policies and whenever the previous policies work they should be continued and whenever the new government policies are sound we must also support them in the spirit of non-partisan. Even more important is the policy to liberalise the media and communications industry and to allow free access to information as part of education and nation-building.

Monday, May 21, 2018

“Malaysia's Economy: Getting Closer to High-Income Status,” said the IMF (International Monetary Fund) on 7th March 2018. “Malaysia’s economy continues to perform strongly, with higher than anticipated growth at 5.8 percent in 2017, and projected growth of 5.3 percent for 2018, according to the IMF. The country is well on its way to achieving high-income status. But to pass the finish line, the authorities will have to step up reforms to boost productivity and raise living standards for its 32 million citizens,” the IMF said.

The IMF added, “Malaysia’s economy is showing resilience and is performing strongly. Growth is running above potential, driven by strong global demand for electronics and improved terms of trade for commodities, such as oil and gas. On the domestic front, Malaysia’s strong employment is boosting private consumption, and investment is also helping to drive growth.”

This is very heartening to read and helps the new government to build up the country even further on the foundation of this very solid footing. The IMF concluded by saying that, “As Malaysia’s public debt continues to decline, the IMF is recommending that the government shift toward raising revenues, rather than achieving its goals through continued cuts in public spending.”

They say it is very difficult to manage defeat or failure and even more difficult to manage victory or success. In defeat or failure, you strive to better yourself. In victory or success, you run the risk of allowing it to get to your head.

Barisan Nasional for the first time is experiencing defeat. That is normal in politics where winning and losing is part of the game. So Barisan must now learn how to manage its defeat and be gracious in the face of defeat. That would be the mark of maturity.

The winner, too, must learn how to be gracious in victory. Civil liberties and justice is not just about a fair trial in a court of law but in how one is treated before one is put on trial and pronounced guilty. The greatest violation of civil liberties is to deny a person his or her right to be treated with dignity.

Setting aside the religious aspects of fasting during the month of Ramadan, the one-month religious obligation for Muslims brings out certain positive aspects in nation-building. The breaking of fast during Ramadan is done on a communal basis where family and friends get together to break their fast. Seldom do people ‘eat on the run’ like how our normally busy schedule dictates where we have no time to sit and eat or even eat together.

The breaking of the fast reminds families about the enjoyment of sharing a feast with loved ones. Friends and colleagues, whether Muslims or otherwise, socialise and strengthen their ties, which they would not do if not because of the fast. There is no better way of keeping those bonds strong than sitting together to enjoy a meal and the pleasure of each other’s company.

Malaysia is a plural society and when those of all ethnicities and religious persuasions are able to mingle and socialise, even during a religious tradition, then we can be assured of strong inter-ethnic relations and stability. Ramadan offers that opportunity for Malaysians to demonstrate they are Malaysians when they come together at the dining table because food, to Malaysians, is a uniting factor.